Tools

Drivin' N Cryin', Dex Romweber Duo

When: Fri., May 14, 10 p.m. 2010Price: $15–$20

Most people are interested in bands that, like washing machines, are available in only a couple of colors. So while Drivin 'N' Cryin' inspired a diehard following that appreciated their swings from hard-charging Southern rockers into rustic jangle and thundering garage-psych, they never broke through despite a decade-long six-album run on major labels beginning in the mid-'80s. Things petered our around the millennium and adenoidal singer Kevn Kinney pursued a solo career, but the band reunited last year for its first studio album in 12 years, The Great American Bubble Factory. Crackling with energy, its hard-luck post-boom stories are keenly drawn with a chunky garage-ready rumble that sounds like it wasn't created so much as simply freed.

Dexter Romweber's never been caged or tamed, though his latest explores a more sedate late-night cabaret vibe. Proficient in many roots rock guitar styles, he's a lit fuse live—ready at any moment to explode in wall-shaking displays of technical-emotive proficiency. Romweber is enjoying a busy week, with additional shows Wednesday at The Cave and Saturday at the City Tap. —Chris Parker